A recent viral TikTok video has drawn widespread attention to Walmart’s escalating anti-theft measures, specifically highlighting a customer’s frustration at finding mascara secured behind security tags and inside a lock box. The incident underscores a growing challenge for major retailers: combating a surge in shoplifting while attempting to maintain a positive shopping experience for honest customers.
TikTok user Talya (@partywithtal) uploaded the video, sharing her experience at a Walmart location where she typically purchases her mascara. “Yeah, so I’m at Walmart ’cause I get my mascara from here, right? And they got the locks on the mascara,” she stated, showing a variety of $8.98 mascaras hanging on shelves, each equipped with a security lock. The video, posted on January 5, garnered 2 million views, illustrating the public’s keen interest in the issue.
Talya further recounted that an associate provided her with the mascara encased in a clear lock container, requiring a cashier to unlock it, rather than simply handing her the product. Her video concluded with a pointed remark: “Nobody wanna steal this punk ass mascara.” The Daily Dot reportedly reached out to Talya and Walmart for comment regarding the incident.
Many viewers expressed similar sentiments and frustration in the comments section of Talya’s video. Some claimed they would bypass the security measures, with one user stating, “You could literally easily rip it off it’s paper hanging on to the bar lol.” Other comments echoed this defiance, such as, “I just rip them off the things lmfao” and “I just tear it off lmfao and then take it to the register and pay lol.”
Beyond the specific mascara incident, numerous customers reported that locked items serve as an immediate deterrent for their purchases. One viewer articulated this by writing, “Look whenever I see items locked up I see that as a sign that I don’t need it.” The sentiment extended to store choice, with another commenting, “I stopped shopping at the stores that lock up my shampoo’s and hair products.” A third viewer recounted a similar experience, stating, “They had the body wash and deodorant locked up at my wal mart. I haven’t been back.”
These anecdotes reflect a broader trend of increased item security across various product categories. Customers have shared experiences of finding even low-value items secured, such as “.99 cent tweezers” and “$7 press on nails” behind locks. One user even noted, “I went to a Walmart that had all feminine products locked behind a glass.” This widespread implementation indicates a significant shift in retail security strategies, moving beyond high-value electronics.
The practice of locking up products has become more prevalent in recent years, primarily beginning around 2020 as a measure to curb theft. Retailers are now navigating a complex challenge, seeking to “reduce the friction for regular shoppers while keeping in place physical deterrents for thieves,” according to Forbes. A diverse array of products, from baby formula to hygiene products and laundry detergent, are now frequently found behind locked cases. This trend is not exclusive to Walmart; major chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have also implemented similar measures, as reported by Insider.
Retail theft has escalated into what many describe as a national crisis, prompting major retailers, including Walmart, to implement aggressive countermeasures such as bans, advanced surveillance technologies, and enhanced anti-theft protocols. This ongoing battle between shoplifters and corporate security efforts is highlighted by recent incidents involving individual arrests and the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) detection systems.
One such incident involved Ashley Cross, 37, in Memphis, Tennessee, who was arrested for attempting to defraud a Walmart self-checkout system. Cross allegedly used the barcode from a low-cost item, a watch battery, to pay for multiple items, including jeans, a t-shirt, boots, and several packs of ramen noodles, all for $1 each. The intended value of the merchandise was $137.34. Due to her past record of theft, Walmart took the exceptional step of banning her from all its stores nationwide. A Walmart representative affirmed this stance, stating, “We value our customers and associates and want them to have a pleasant shopping experience. Though rare, there are instances when someone is no longer welcome in our stores.”
This case exemplifies how self-checkout systems are vulnerable to exploitation by shoplifters and illustrates the severe actions retailers are prepared to take. In a separate development, Walmart’s AI technology gained social media attention through a viral TikTok video posted by user Nesha. The staged skit, accumulating over 2.2 million views, depicted Walmart’s AI-powered self-checkout system flagging a “Missed Scan Detected” and showing an overhead video replay of a backpack supposedly not being scanned. While the video was a dramatization, it brought attention to Walmart’s “Missed Scan Detection” system, which has been in use since 2017. This technology employs AI cameras to track scanned and unscanned items. Additionally, Walmart has introduced nearly invisible barcodes on store-branded products, enabling automatic scanning without requiring customers to manually locate a traditional barcode.
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Retail theft has seen a significant increase in recent years, with U.S. retailers reporting a 93% surge in shoplifting incidents since 2019. Self-checkout theft is a particular area of concern, with a 2023 survey indicating that 15% of shoppers admitted to stealing items at self-checkout, and only 33% of those were apprehended. Walmart, facing estimated annual losses of $3 billion due to theft, has responded by implementing stricter security, including receipt scanning at store exits and the locking up of frequently stolen items. These strategies, while aimed at curbing theft, have generated customer frustration, who argue that the measures create inconvenience and imply that all shoppers are potential criminals.
Retailers face a dilemma: how to effectively combat theft without alienating their honest customer base. The deployment of AI-powered surveillance and national bans on individuals raises questions regarding customer privacy and overall treatment. As technological advancements continue, shoplifters are likely to devise new methods to exploit self-checkout systems, leading to an ongoing cycle of adaptation from both sides. The long-term effectiveness of these enhanced security measures in curbing theft while preserving the customer experience remains a subject of observation.
Public attention across the 50 states has been drawn to concerns over shoplifting, compelling companies to adopt rigorous security measures that include the extensive use of cameras and increased staff monitoring. However, these measures have met with resistance from customers who contend that their shopping experience has been significantly impacted. Many online posts targeting Walmart highlight these concerns.
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Walmart reportedly closed 24 stores in 2023 and has plans to shut down 20 stores annually moving forward, with 75% of the company’s store investor loss attributed to theft. This financial impact underscores the necessity for strict security measures, even as they provoke customer reactions. An X user, @GrillCheezKilla, recently posted, “Walmart is like a prison. The gates lock behind you when you enter. A bunch of aisles are gated and locked. There’s a camera so your face shows on the self check out screen while a guard stands behind you watching. Glad I didn’t drop the soap.” This sentiment was echoed by other users, with one noting, “Most places are relatively the same now but Walmart takes the cake, especially with the amount of theft there,” and another stating, “Wallmart stinks. Haven’t been in one in close to a decade.”
Another X user, @dragonfly66679, contributed to the discussion, acknowledging the problem: “I understand they probably have a lot of thefts, and that is why there are recordings of you entering the store and exiting as well at the checkouts. But don’t hover over my shoulder as I am scanning.” A Reddit user also shared an unpleasant shopping experience, detailing difficulty in obtaining locked undershirts and acne cream due to unavailable staff and keys, ultimately considering online shopping. The user recounted waiting 30 minutes for an associate, only to be told no one had a key for the items. The post further noted, “Meanwhile, thousands of dollars of pocketable makeup is just sitting out in the open. I imagine it won’t be long before everything is behind glass and you’ll need a personal shopper to get anything. More reason to order everything online.”
Comments on the Reddit post reflected a growing exasperation among shoppers. User Toofywoofy stated, “Stopped bothering with Walmart for any skin or hair care a long time ago. I’m just trying to go in and out. Heaven forbid you to have more shopping to do because they’re going to give it to the Customer Service desk until you’re ready to leave. What an inconvenient process for everyone.” Another user, @harfpod, simply concluded, “Forget it, I’ll just order it.” These reactions suggest a shift in consumer behavior driven by security measures.
Walmart has been contending with theft for a considerable period. The implementation of stringent anti-theft measures followed reports of the retail giant’s estimated loss of $6.5 billion to product shrinkage in 2023, an increase from $6.1 billion in the preceding year. At a macro level, the National Retail Federation reported an astronomical $112 billion lost to shrinkage across the industry. Walmart CEO Doug McMillion addressed the issue, telling CNBC, “Theft is an issue. It’s higher than what it has historically been. We’ve got safety measures, security measures that we’ve put in place by store location. I think local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner is part of that equation, and that’s normally how we approach it.” He emphasized a localized approach, stating, “It’s city by city, location by location. It’s store managers working with local law enforcement and we’ve got great relationships there for the most part.”
In a significant move to enhance theft prevention, Walmart is rolling out a new cutting-edge system described as an advanced ATM. This initiative demonstrates the company’s increased reliance on technology, including AI and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), to tackle shoplifting, particularly at self-checkout stations. Retail theft, a problem costing companies billions annually, has found new avenues through self-checkout, whether through accidental omissions or deliberate actions. Walmart, one of the world’s largest retailers, has been particularly affected, finding traditional methods like security guards and receipt checks insufficient.
The core of Walmart’s new anti-theft technology involves RFID tags and AI-powered cameras. Each product is equipped with an RFID tag, a small chip containing product information. As items are scanned at self-checkout, sensors verify proper scanning. If an item is not scanned, the system immediately alerts store personnel. AI cameras concurrently monitor shopper activity in real time, detecting suspicious behaviors such as skipping the scanner. The objective is to ensure that all items in a shopping cart have been paid for, without impeding the experience of honest customers.
This new system is designed not only to deter theft but also to streamline and improve checkout accuracy. By automating item tracking, it aims to reduce human error, such as unintentional missed scans. It also contributes to faster transactions and helps prevent incorrect charges to customers. Regarding privacy concerns, Walmart has stated that the system is exclusively focused on transaction monitoring and does not collect personal data, emphasizing its purpose in ensuring all products are scanned and paid for.
If successful, this system could lead to substantial savings for Walmart and foster a more equitable shopping environment. It may also establish a new benchmark for other retailers, potentially inspiring the adoption of similar technologies to address rising theft. Walmart plans to expand this technology to more stores, reflecting a commitment to leveraging technology to solve retail challenges, benefiting both the company and its customers. The high-tech checkout system is positioned as a means to create a faster, safer, and smarter shopping experience for all.
Walmart has been progressively integrating anti-theft trackers into its product tags to combat self-checkout theft and other forms of product shrinkage. This technology allows the retailer to monitor the movement of its merchandise. As of September 2, 2022, Walmart mandated that all suppliers of toys, home goods, electronics, and sporting goods equip each item with a Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) RFID tag. This expansion followed an earlier RFID mandate in 2020, which required products in apparel, jewelry, and other departments like tires, to be tagged with an RFID chip.
The UHF RFID tag acts as a marker for inventory tracking. RFID signals enable tags to store important product information, including description, price, and real-time location. These tags can be scanned from distances of up to 40 feet by a reader, making them more discreet than traditional theft tags. This technology aids in preventing theft and product loss, including cases of internal employee theft. Furthermore, RFID tags are instrumental in combating refund fraud, a common method where items are stolen from one store and returned to another for a refund. Bill Hardgrave, founder of RFID Lab, noted to RetailDive, “With RFID, you capture that when you’ve got full visibility through point of sale.”
Beyond security, RFID tags offer convenience for shoppers by allowing scanning machines to automatically detect items, potentially eliminating the need for manual scanning at checkout. Other retailers, such as Uniqlo and Amazon, are also either utilizing or planning to incorporate this technology. However, it’s worth noting that while Kroger uses AI in its self-checkout systems, its RFID adoption is primarily for inventory management, not self-checkout processes. Similarly, Costco utilizes AI for various operations like inventory management and fraud detection but not specifically for checkout, though it has explored RFID in inventory management through pilot programs.
Recent developments at Walmart and its subsidiary Sam’s Club underscore the growing impact of retail theft, leading to significant and often controversial changes for customers. Walmart, in some locations, has resorted to locking up expensive meat cuts, such as Angus ribeye steaks, in sealed, locked cases. This measure, reportedly in place since at least 2022, appears to be increasingly visible, particularly in what are understood to be inner-city areas, although demographic factors have also been subjects of discussion.
Beyond specific items, Walmart is reportedly moving away from self-checkout in some locations, requiring all customers to use employee-staffed lanes. For many customers, self-checkout has offered convenience, especially for small purchases. However, it has been suggested that self-checkout may not have been sustainable long-term, partly due to its susceptibility to blatant theft. There have been documented instances of individuals deliberately stealing items using these machines.
Digital security at checkout has also seen increased attention. Walmart has introduced striking red labels on self-checkout machines to alert both employees and customers to potential tampering at payment terminals. These labels are intended to prevent card skimmers and other devices used to steal shopper information. Workers can inspect machines for removed labels, which may indicate a need to check the pin pad for tampering. The proliferation of skimming devices in self-checkout machines across the U.S. prompted these security enhancements, though some suggest improved placement of the labels, perhaps directly covering the pin key pad.
Looking ahead, Sam’s Club, Walmart’s membership-only warehouse chain, is piloting a major change in its payment process. Reports indicate plans to phase out all traditional and self-checkout lanes across its nearly 600 U.S. and Puerto Rico stores. Customers will instead be required to utilize AI-powered scan-and-go features via the chain’s mobile app. This system allows shoppers to bypass checkout lines and exit the store with minimal direct employee interaction. While presented as a modern convenience, this transition is primarily viewed as an anti-theft measure and could eventually require customers to use an app solely for store entry.
The discussion surrounding these anti-theft measures frequently raises questions about culpability. Some sources suggest connections to store demographics or state laws that do not sufficiently penalize offenders. However, former Walmart employees have indicated a past policy of not prosecuting shoplifters, which is believed to have significantly contributed to theft. Regardless of the specific causes, the impact is evident: essential items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant are increasingly locked away. The constant locking of items inconveniences paying customers and may not address the underlying societal issues driving theft.
While potential boycotts related to unrelated issues, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, have been mentioned, there is currently no evidence that these factors are substantially affecting Walmart’s overall performance to the extent that would necessitate a strategy change. For many individuals living paycheck to paycheck, price remains the primary determinant of where they shop. The fundamental problem, therefore, appears to be a broader societal issue that requires direct attention, rather than merely securing more goods within stores. The challenges faced by retailers and the controversial steps they are implementing in response continue to be a significant topic of public and industry discussion.
